MOONSORROW — Varjoina Kuljemme Kuolleiden Maassa (review)

MOONSORROW — Varjoina Kuljemme Kuolleiden Maassa album cover Album · 2011 · Folk Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
Phonebook Eater
7/10

"Varjoina" is an epic sounding album, a breath of fresh nordic air.

Moonsorrow is one of the most praised Folk Metal bands ever, along with bands such as Agalloch and Primordial. Their music has been pretty much the same throughout all these years they’ve been active, not even after their sixth album that came out now in 2011, the unpronounceable “Varjoina kuljemme kuolleiden maassa”, which in English means “as shadows we walk in the land of the dead”.

When we talk about Folk Metal, don’t think Agalloch’s acoustic interludes. This album barely has them; the folkish elements are the melodies-riffs, which are heavily influenced by Nordic and Celtic music. They are very few slow parts ( except for the epic “Huuto”), so it sounds like a true mix between Black Metal and Folk-traditional music. The Black elements are here as well; very rough production, at all times high pitched growls, and an original element that has accompanied many Moonsorrow albums; the add to the guitars of the keys, that always have a stringy sound, giving the music a new definition of epicness and a more thick sound.

The album is very solid and rigid in it’s structure: they are long, epic tracks constantly and rigorous alternated with one minute interludes, that really don’t have much to offer, being mostly just recordings of footsteps, a man talking, or general field recordings. So the long song are the real deal here. The opener “Tahdeton” is amazing, in its huge and archaic sound, that reminds a lot of the previous Moonsorrow work. Almost every moment here is sublime, even the Celtic influenced hook that dominates the second half of the song. “Muinaiset” is another great track, with again great arrangements on the keys, great folkish elements in the main riff, and a very consistent sound overall. “Huuto” is almost sixteen minutes long, and it’s probably the most experimental, ambitious and adventurous song off this album. The riffs are haunting like they’ve never been so far, and the mood is a lot more mystic.

A really good album that every Black-Folk metal fan should listen to, especially fans of this legendary band that will certainly go down in history as one of the best of this genre.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Metal Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

A Sonication Technical Death Metal
OBSCURA
Buy this album from MMA partners
Hin helga kvöl Atmospheric Sludge Metal
SÓLSTAFIR
Buy this album from MMA partners
The Cycles of Suffering Black Metal
BURIAL OATH
Buy this album from MMA partners
The Suns of Perdition - Chapter IV: To Shadow Zion Black Metal
PANZERFAUST
Buy this album from MMA partners
Facilis Descensus Averno Death Metal
SAEVUS FINIS
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

DAWN OF REVENGE - Sanctuary [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 6 days ago
DAWN OF REVENGE - Farewell [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 6 days ago
DAWN OF REVENGE - Curtain of Death - [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 6 days ago
DAWN OF REVENGE - Vengeance [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 6 days ago
DAWN OF REVENGE - I Need You [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 6 days ago
More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed